DOVER — A foot or more of snow was expected to fall across the state between late Wednesday night and today bringing what officials are calling the first nor’easter of the season.

National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Kistner, based out of Gray, Maine, said anything west and northwest of Interstate 95 will “do really well” with snowfall, while regions opposite will see less precipitation or have more rain instead of snow.

In the Dover area, about eight to 12 inches of snow is predicted to fall overnight. Kistner said there will be more rain and wet precipitation moving toward Portsmouth and the Rockingham County coast, and more snow, possibly over a foot, will be seen throughout points farther north and west.

The morning commute for the Seacoast will be messy, he said, with a mix of snow and rain.

Utility companies are predicting outages in the area and asking customers to take caution and be prepared for the storm.

Public Service of New Hampshire issued a statement making customers aware that precautions were being taken to prepare for any outages in what they expected to be a storm that will deliver “eight to 16” inches of snow, gusty winds and freezing temperatures.

“If the forecast holds, these conditions could cause serious damage and result in power outages across the state,” the statement reads.

Line and tree crews are “pre-staging” in work centers across the state and plan to open emergency operations centers “to respond to whatever damage the storm causes.”

Restoration efforts will be strengthened through PSNH by Boston-based NSTAR and “other Northeast Utilities electric utility subsidiaries with direct access to additional line workers who, when available, can assist in a restoration effort here,” the press release reassures.

In addition to being aware of the efforts by utility crews, residents are also asked to be prepared themselves.

Some of the tips including proper installation of generators, are listed on the PSNH web site and can be found at www.nh.gov/readynh.

Motorists are cautioned to take extra time to complete any necessary travel today as the storm is expected to last through evening hours.

This morning’s commute is anticipated to be a messy, slick and treacherous drive and people are urged to allow extra space between vehicles as well as extra travel time.